


Blind Kindness

by Cân Cennau (cancennau)



Series: Llenwadau Bingo Trôp Slâc OTW (2016) [3]
Category: Atlantis (UK TV)
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Food, Unexpected Visitors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 05:49:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8132684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cancennau/pseuds/C%C3%A2n%20Cennau
Summary: Prompt: food and cooking
Medusa receives an unexpected visitor, bearing unexpected gifts.





	

When Medusa was first transformed into a Gorgon, she had not expected any visitors. She had definitely not expected a visit from the  _ Queen of Atlantis _ . And yet, here she was - Medusa was yet to see her, but she had called out, and Medusa had heard the light tread of sandled feet pad along the sand in her seaside cove as Medusa herself stared very firmly at the back wall of her home.

“Your Majesty.” Medusa said, once she was certain the young Queen was in the room. “I don’t know why you’re here, but please leave.”

“Why?” Ariadne asked, and Medusa heard the slight shuffle of sand as she stepped further into the room. “I know what you are - and I’m not scared.”

Medusa laughed bitterly. “You should be. I could kill you.”

“I know. I’ve taken precautions-”

“Precautions? No-one’s ever seen a Gorgon and survived, how-”

“I spoke to some… experts, in this kind of thing. They said that you couldn’t hurt me if I didn’t look at your face.”

“They told you that willingly?”

“Well… no.” Ariadne shuffled her feet against the sand. “They were under the impression I was preparing an army to try and kill you.”

“I see.” Medusa tried and failed to hide a shudder of apprehension.

“But I won’t! I promise! They don’t even know I know where you are. Nor that I’m here.”

Medusa blew out a shuddering breath. “I believe you.” she said, the fight gone out of her. “But then, why are you here?”

“I thought… I thought being out here, you’d find it hard to get things like food. So I brought food - bread, wine, cheese, and some chicken - I didn’t know what your, uh… snakes ate, but the meat should be good for them-”

“It’ll make a change from fish.” Medusa murmured, and she heard a startled laugh.

“I guess.” There was a slight pause, and a rustle of fabric. “You can, um turn around - I’ve blindfolded myself now.”

“Blindfolded?” Medusa blinked. “That’s your precaution?”

“I’m sure it’ll work. You don’t need to be scared.”

“I don’t know - I don’t think that turning the Queen to stone would look good on my records.”

Ariadne laughed again. “That’s true.” She paused. “How about I turn and face the wall? Double protection and all that.”

“That… that would work.” 

There was some more shuffling, and Medusa waited patiently until Ariadne called to say she was ready. The shaky reflection of Ariadne’s black, plaited hair in a nearby rockpool showed she was turned to the wall, and Medusa could see the burlap blindfold when she turned around fully. She settled herself down next to Ariadne on the flattened rock, allowing her back to press warmly against the other girl’s, warm and firm. The food was warm - it must’ve been sunny outside. Medusa took a small bite of the cheese, and finding her body did not reject it, ate more, only pausing in her decimation of the food to break some chicken for her snake-hair

“Thank you.” Medusa murmured quietly, once the ravenous hunger in her belly had settled. “I don’t know why you did this, but thank you.”

Ariadne was silent for a moment. “Do you remember Korkyne?” she asked. “When I came of age?”

Medusa remembered. Korkyne was Ariadne’s old wet nurse, and a headmistress-type figure to all the younger maids in the palace. When Ariadne was of age, Pasiphae had sent Korkyne away, seeing her usefulness as served. Ariadne, hurt and upset, had refused to speak to anyone for a week. Medusa had been the one to convince her to stay in the palace, and had cared for her until she was ready to speak again.

“You came back every night.” Ariadne murmured. “Even when I was… not the most pleasant company. Even when I refused to eat and speak, you came back with food, and treated me kindly.”

Medusa shifted a little uncomfortably. “It was kind of my job.” she murmured.

“No, it wasn’t. I know full well Pasiphae had ordered all our maids to stay out of my chambers, to try and starve me out. You came anyway.”

Well, that was true, at least. Medusa remembered feeling sorry for the young girl, and knowing that starving a grieving woman was no way of getting her to speak. She’d snuck in, brought whatever food she could scavenge from the kitchens, and had kept Ariadne company through the bouts of tears and screaming.

“It wasn’t right.” Medusa replied quietly. “What Pasiphae did - that was no way to treat you.”

“I know.” Ariadne reached out blindly, tapping at the rocks until she found Medusa’s empty hand, and held it gently in her tawny palm, the warmth a soothing balm against Medusa's skin. Medusa started, not certain how she should react. She remembered how Hercules had held her hand like this, and knew Jason would hold her hand like this too, but Hercules was long gone, and Jason… Medusa supposed asking about Jason right now would not be a good idea.

“You were always my favourite, you know?” Ariadne said this almost casually, but Medusa could hear the feeling in the subtext. “You were  _ mine _ \- even Father knew to send you to me whenever I needed a maid. I was never quite as happy when the maid wasn’t you.”

Medusa swallowed, feeling a tightness in her chest that she hadn’t felt for… well, ever since Hercules. But the warmth of her attention, her soft palm, the very faint scent of salt and sweet spices - she could barely think of him. She felt Ariadne turn to face her, saw her delicate fingers turning Medusa’s own head to look at her blindfolded face. A little in shock, she allowed the warm pads of Ariadne’s fingers to map her face, her cheeks, her nose, until they brushed her lips. That seemed to be what Ariadne was looking for, and with a moment’s hesitation, she dipped her head and pressed her soft lips to hers.


End file.
